The Vicar reviews 2024:

2024 has been a good year of consolidation and growth in the life of the parish. It has been a joy to see new people of all ages baptised and confirmed and to see people assuming and growing into new roles in the parish. It has also been a year where we have commenced new projects. The numbers at Mass have continued to grow by a further 3% this year (145% since 2015).

In the springtime we launched the Sheffield Scriptorium (see the update from Godwin below) that has proven popular with students and home workers alike. In Lent we saw a great response from people to the call of God with bumper numbers of confessions, increased numbers of communions, and we had a higher number of baptisms at Easter and throughout the year.

Our Alpha course proved popular, and our other teaching events and courses continued to draw people further along the road of discipleship. Many people adopted a rule of life for the first time under our “LIGHTS FOR CHRIST” initiative. We instituted quiet days in Lent and Advent at Whirlow Grange, which were well attended.

Antonio Joseph was on placement with us from the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield over August and were blessed by him – an outstanding candidate for the priesthood. I am ever grateful to Fr Watson, Fr Price and Fr Parker for their continued support and ministry. Various people have grown into new lay ministries, taking on or continuing in new roles in the parish, without you we simply wouldn’t be able to do what we do. I’d like to pay a particular tribute to Dr Richard Dawidek who has taken on the role of treasurer, Godwin Omuyu who is leading the Scriptorium, Louise Smith who is now Lead parish Nurse, and Minerva Faddoul who is the Children and Families lead.

We had a superb pilgrimage to Walsingham in May, always a highlight of the year. Travelling together enables us to grow together and many new friendships are being formed across the parish. People of different cultures and traditions meeting, becoming friends finding unity in Christ’s body.

Regenerate, our project to renew St Matthew’s, has raised £490,000 we are now well over half way there. In raising money we have sought to have fun and be missional. The beer festival was a great success and our “Pave the Nave” mini campaign has enabled lots of people to support our cause across the country. Chris Warburton and Minerva Faddoul both “ran for regenerate” and many people supported them generously. Peter Cain delighted us with his classical guitar playing to raise funds. We will start some of the work this year!

Our Parish Nursing project has continued to provide a much needed service and mission to the city. Fr Richard Parker joined the team and Louise was appointed the new lead in succession to Michaela who retired in December. We have a great leader in Louise and we were able to give thanks to Michaela for her hard work, determination and vision. Fr Parker established a new Mass on Wednesdays at 6pm which also offers the healing ministries. Fr Price has devoted a lot of time to the confessional and enabled us to increase the number of confessions heard on a weekly basis (this is in my mind the sure sign of a serious catholic parish).

On St Matthew’s festival we had the Bishop of Oswestry deliver the Catholic Evangelism Lecture in the presence of The Rt Rev’d Pete Wilcox, Bishop of Sheffield. The following day we had the usual jamboree and celebration with the great, wonderful and joyous procession of witness through the streets.

Our work amongst children has grown significantly. A few years ago we had no children at Mass, being a city centre parish it isn’t really our demographics, but we prayed and the Lord did provide. I really do salute our parents who are doing such an amazing job at bringing their children up in The Faith. The saying goes that: ‘it takes a village to bring up a child’, well in our context that means that: ‘it takes us all as a congregation to nurture our kids in The Faith.’ Minerva has made an excellent start since her appointment as our lead for Children and Families.

Bishop Stephen visited in October and confirmed ten candidates. He has been a real encouragement to us and we thank him for his dedicated and sacrificial ministry across the northern province.

I am blessed to lead a team of highly committed and faithful people. A particular thanks to the clergy, my churchwardens Stephen and Stuart, Louise and Parish Nursing team, Ian our development worker, Ben the strategic lead at the Art House, Godwin as our Scriptorium/ Student lead, Fiona our Director of Music and the core team who meet with me regularly, the sacristy team, the PCC and everyone who makes St Matthew’s tick.

2025 has started well. It is a jubilee year when we will focus on the Nicene Creed. It is a year to remind ourselves of the importance of the faith once delivered unto the saints. We are members of the body of Christ, we have the most profound privilege of knowing Jesus. Let us be proud to profess the true faith of the church, let us take great delight in sharing Jesus with the world around us. Thank you for your faithfulness, let’s make 2025 a really special jubilee year recalling the goodness of God and his mercy towards us!

My prayers for you all daily,

Fr Naylor
Vicar